NEW YORK - Three more insurance companies said Friday
they have received subpoenas from New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer
seeking information on the way brokers are paid.

Hartford, Conn.-based Aetna Inc., Philadelphia-based Cigna Corp.
and MetLife Inc., of New
York, announced Friday they have received the subpoenas and intend to cooperate
with Spitzer’s industrywide probe.

Spitzer wouldn’t comment on the probe, but earlier has
said he is investigating whether brokers that help companies buy insurance had
conflicts when accepting payments from insurance companies.

Cigna spokesman Wendell Potter said the subpoena asked
for information about compensation agreements with insurance brokers and
consultants.

Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal is
conducting a parallel investigation and has said the focus of that probe is
whether buyers of the insurance are aware that their broker is also being paid
by the insurance company.

Aetna and Cigna are the latest of several companies to
receive subpoenas from Spitzer. Hartford Financial Services Group said Thursday
it received one. Aon Corp., Marsh & McLennan Cos., Willis Group Holdings
Ltd. and Chubb Corp. have also been subpoenaed.

Aetna Inc. became the latest in a string of insurers to
receive a subpoena from the office of New York State Attorney General Eliot
Spitzer, seeking information on the way brokers are paid.

On Friday, Hartford-based Aetna said it intends to
cooperate with the inquiry but declined to elaborate on what the subpoena
sought.

Though Spitzer hasn't given details of his investigation
into the insurance-brokerage industry, The Wall Street Journal reported last
month that an internal Aon Corp. memo the newspaper obtained indicates the
attorney general is looking into the various types of payments insurance
companies make to brokers.

Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal is
conducting a parallel investigation and has said the focus of that probe is
whether buyers of the insurance are aware that their broker is also being paid
by the insurance company.